An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Sunday gave the death penalty to a hitman associated with the banned outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) for the secraterian killing of three people in an attack on a shrine.
Mohammad Ishaq, alias Bobby, was found guilty by the judge of ATC-XVI of having killed Syed Zakir Hussain, Muhammad Nawaz, and Muhammad Younus in firing at Dargah Nazar Ali Shah in Korangi on August 23, 2014.Â
Ishaq was also ordered to pay Rs200,000 blood money to the next of kin of each of the victims, as well as to pay the same amount to the state.
Furthermore, the judge also awarded 10-year imprisonment to the convict and imposed a fine of Rs50,000 for causing terrorism.
The judge said that the severity of the punishment was intended to act against a deterrent against those that engaged in such acts of hatred and disregard for human life.
According to the prosecution, two young boys had visited the shrine and inquired about the shrine’s caretaker from an employee on the day of the incident. Both the men turned up after 10 minutes and opened fire, killing the three people and escaped.
Ishaq and his accomplice Asim alias Capri face multiple trials in anti-terrorism courts. They have also been convicted by a military court for the murders of Military Police personnel and the murder of renowned Qawwal Amjad Sabri.
This was the third capital punishment award to him within a month.
